Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) Dean Elizabeth D. Liddy has
appointed Robert Heckman to the new position of senior associate dean and Ian MacInnes to
the position of associate dean for academic affairs.
"We are fortunate to have such depth of leadership talent in the iSchool, as well as
willingness for gifted scholars to expend their energies and talents for the wider benefits of
the school, our students and the University," Liddy says. "It is a time of growth in
reputation, enrollment and research funding for the iSchool, and with this leadership team
we will be able to reach or exceed our goals."
Heckman most recently served as associate dean for academic affairs, a position to which
Liddy appointed him in August 2007. At that time, Liddy created the new position of
associate dean for research and doctoral programs and appointed Jeffrey Stanton to the role,
which he continues to perform for the iSchool.
Heckman later was tapped to lead the SU-JPMorgan Chase Curriculum Committee, at
which time MacInnes was appointed interim deputy to the associate dean for academic
affairs. As the SU-JPMorgan Chase collaboration expanded, so did Heckman's
responsibilities to the project.
"This new division of labor gives me more time to develop the school's connection to the
world of practice, as we've been doing with the JPMorgan Chase project," Heckman says.
"Through that collaboration, we're integrating hands-on learning experiences, new
curriculum, extended internships and a range of other opportunities for students. My hope is
to institutionalize the process we're developing with JPMorgan Chase and to take that model
out to other universities and potential corporate partners."
In his new role, Heckman will continue his work on the JPMorgan Chase project as a newly
appointed member of the senior program management team. Throughout 2009, he will
work on establishing effective organizational structures to bring global enterprise technology
learning experiences to the broader university, particularly in the liberal arts. "A liberal arts
major combined with the professional preparation of the global enterprise technology minor
is a powerful and marketable package," Heckman says.
In the iSchool, Heckman will continue to lead the student and faculty service activities,
including advising, enrollment management and employer relations, and he will work with
iSchool professor Scott Bernard, director of executive education, to develop the iSchool's
growing presence in the executive education market.
Heckman came to the school in 1992 with more than 20 years' experience in the information
services industry as a senior manager of data processing operations, systems development
and information systems marketing in the financial world. He served as program director of
the M.S. in information management (IM) and the executive IM programs. In his teaching,
he promotes learning in three distinct communities: scholars, students and professionals. His
research has focused on strategy and planning for information resources and teaching and
learning strategies for information professionals.
He holds a Ph.D. in information systems from the Katz Graduate School of Business at the
University of Pittsburgh.
MacInnes will work with program directors and staff to accomplish academic program
objectives; arrange course scheduling; determine teaching assignments for full-time faculty
and adjuncts; coordinate with iSchool professor Susan Bonzi, director of instructional
quality, on implementing goals related to instructional quality; and manage oversight of
courses and instructors.
"In his interim position, Ian has embraced these functions enthusiastically and effectively,"
Liddy says. "I am grateful that he has agreed to take on this assignment on a more official
basis as associate dean for academic affairs."
MacInnes said he is excited to assume this new position, especially at this moment in the
iSchool's history. "This is a very important time for the school, and we've got so many
projects that are increasing the school's impact," he says. "Also, right now in the school, we
have new program directors who bring new energy and ideas to improving the programs. I
see part of my role as assisting these people in achieving their goals."
MacInnes expects to continue teaching "Applied Economics for Information Managers" (IST
619). "I enjoy teaching, and I believe I have developed an effective method for teaching that
course, which I'd like to continue," says MacInnes, who won a 2007 Excellence in Online
Teaching Award from the Web-Based Information Science Education Consortium.
MacInnes has been on the iSchool faculty since 1999 and focuses much of his research on
information industry strategy, including electronic commerce, digital transactions, virtual
world economies and public policy for information and communication technologies. He has
served on the University Senate for the past eight years, including four as chair of the Senate
Committee on Appointment and Promotions, and was recently invited to join the Senate
Budget Committee, which oversees the financial planning of the University and advises the
Chancellor and her Cabinet.
He holds a Ph.D. in political economy and public policy from the University of Southern
California.
